Ancient Greek Army

The main Greek fighting formation was the phalanx.

• This was a rectangular formation composed of hoplites

• Hoplites were heavy infantry.

• They were typically armored with bronze chest plates (called a cuirass), a helmet with cheek guards, and greaves (shin guards).

• Hoplites were also citizen-soldiers. They were farmers and workers (unless they were Spartans). You didn’t have the standing professional armies. Armies were formed on an as-needed basis.

Athenian

hoplite

Spartan

hoplite

An actual curiass from the 500’s BC

Actual Greek helmets (Corinthian style)

As I said, the Greeks fought in the phalanx formation.

• This was a rectangular formation, typically about eight men deep and however long across both the hoplite numbers and terrain allowed.

• They were in rows and columns. The job of the men in the back were to push forward on the ranks in front to help maintain the front line as well to move up and replace the guy at the front should he fall.

Here are a few illustrations of what the Greek battle by phalanx would have looked like.

Here are a few illustrations of Greek warfare from Greek vases.

Battles were typically short, bloody, and decisive. Remember that these were citizen-soldiers who had jobs back at the city-state. As such, they couldn’t be spared for long, drawn-out campaigns.

Phalanx and hoplite pros and cons

Pros

1.Phalanx was extremely effective due to its cohesion and wall of shields.

2.Hoplites were well-armored.

Cons

3.The phalanx was not maneuverable. It had to go straight ahead. If it tried to turn, then it would break the front line with the shield wall and expose gaps that could be exposed.

4.The hoplite armor was heavy and hot. The helmet, while effective, also limited sight and hearing. This made keeping formation all the more important since you couldn’t hear orders or see things to your side.

The Greek phalanx and hoplites were so effective, they were often employed as mercenaries by foreign powers.